Kinshasa - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
We really enjoyed the British high commission after hours. Nothing else. - May 2024
None. - Aug 2022
Chez Beki is a local Congolese restaurant that serves great grilled chicken, friend plantains, and gin and tonics. Amazing live Congolese rumba music on Fridays! - May 2022
Yoda Laser Tag - its not just for kids! - Aug 2019
Boat trips on the Congo river are fun, and you can camp at a nice park just outside Kinshasa. There are more and more entertainment options in Kinshasa all the time. In the past few years a bowling alley and movie theater have opened, along with an "adventure park" out by the airport. Kinshasa also has an excellent fine arts and music scene, if you're into that. - Apr 2019
Check the Congo Bongo newsletter, we always have something fun going on! - Mar 2017
There's a small movie theater in Gombe that shows new releases for very reasonable prices. - Jan 2017
Music. Shady cold beer spots along the river. - Sep 2016
Take a boat out onto the Congo River and find a sandbank to spend the day on, visit the Bonobos and Lac de ma Valle, take a city tour, go horseback riding at Circle Hippique, take the train (there is only one) to Kisantu and spend the night at Mbuela Lodge and visit the Botanical Gardens, go vegetable shopping at the Marche. - Apr 2016
Kinshasa has a fairly standard list of outings so not a lot of variety but we have enjoyed all of them: Zongo Falls (about 4-5 hour drive away), camping (about 2 hour drive), Kisantu Botanical Gardens (about 2-3 hour drive), Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary (about 2-3 hour drive), Kinshasa Botantical Garden (downtown), Parc Presidential de Mont Ngaliema (in Kinshasa), Mbudi Nature Cercle Recreatif (about 1 hour away along the river), river outings (rent a boat and head for a sandbar for a day of grilling and swimming), and, of course, hoping a boat to Brazzaville. - Jan 2014
Boat trips, day trips, camping, golf, tennis, Bonobo sanctuary, tour the brewery, shop for crafts and furniture. The possibilities are not limitless, but there are things to do if you put in a little effort. - Nov 2012
Not much. Zongo, local dance clubs, bonobos. - May 2012
Going out boating on the Congo River is a very cool weekend thing to do. Many expats hang out on the sandbars and the river is a relaxing and great break from the city. Another thing to do is visit the bonobo monkey reserve. - Feb 2012
Swimming, tennis, golf (Kinshasa boosts a great golf court), horse riding, squash, eating out (there are a few decent restos) - Aug 2011
Trips on the river, picnics on sandbars, there is some limited camping places, tours of local art galleries, botanical gardens, animal preserve, reptile house. There are tours of the local brewery and glass factory, others can be sought out and arranged. DRC is not a country that comes to mind for tourism. There is the lowland gorilla preserve out in the East, but is difficult to get to and expensive. There are some guides that can take you fishing for tiger fish. Travel outside Kinshasa is limited, roads are terrible and there really aren’t that many places to go. But, make every effort to get out of the residence and take advantage of anything that gets you and out and about. Join the International Women’s Club, do all the tours offered by the CLO, use the embassy boat for trips on the river(didn’t know for a year that there were boats available for use) Ask everyone about how they spend their free time. There are a few sports facilities in Kinshasa for golf(one 18-hole course), tennis, swimming, horseback riding. A Hash Hound club has just started. The Friday nite BBQ at the British Embassy and the happy hour at the Marine House are popular with expats. - Jan 2011
Bicycle riding. Seeing Kisantu botanical gardens, Zongo Falls, chimpanzee preserve, lac ma vallee, river trips, reptile farm, night life. But there is nothing really in the sense of art museums, theatres, etc. - Oct 2010
Restaurants; a reptilarium; a few smallish markets; craft stores. - Jan 2009
